In Teriberka, a popular tourist destination in the Murmansk region, whales have not been observed for several months – they were last seen in October last year. This situation is strikingly different from the previous season, when from mid-December to early March whales were present in Teriberka Bay, and throughout June and July they remained near Kildin Island.
According to experts and local guides, the main reason for the disappearance of whales is the lack of food. Usually in February, large shoals of herring enter the bays of Teriberka, which attract whales. However, this year there is no fish, forcing the marine giants to look for food elsewhere.
"Indeed, the whales didn't come this year. This may be due to the fact that all the fish have left the shore. There's no cod, haddock, or even saithe," says Sergey Petrov, a vessel owner from Teriberka who conducts sea excursions.
The head of the Marine Mammals Laboratory at MMBI, Alexander Zaitsev, explains that such fluctuations, when whales come and go, are quite normal. Most cetaceans enter the Barents Sea usually during the feeding period – in summer and autumn, and for the winter they migrate south, as far as Antarctica.
Despite the absence of whales, tourists continue to visit Teriberka, although the demand for sea excursions from Russians has somewhat decreased. Honest tour operators warn their guests in advance that meeting whales is not guaranteed, and that a sea excursion itself is an interesting adventure.
According to guides' observations, whales may return by mid-spring to early summer, when there will be enough fish in coastal waters again.
Keywords: ONE HERITAGE, whales, Teriberka, Murmansk region, tourism, sea excursions, whale migration, fish, herring, ecology, Barents Sea
According to experts and local guides, the main reason for the disappearance of whales is the lack of food. Usually in February, large shoals of herring enter the bays of Teriberka, which attract whales. However, this year there is no fish, forcing the marine giants to look for food elsewhere.
"Indeed, the whales didn't come this year. This may be due to the fact that all the fish have left the shore. There's no cod, haddock, or even saithe," says Sergey Petrov, a vessel owner from Teriberka who conducts sea excursions.
The head of the Marine Mammals Laboratory at MMBI, Alexander Zaitsev, explains that such fluctuations, when whales come and go, are quite normal. Most cetaceans enter the Barents Sea usually during the feeding period – in summer and autumn, and for the winter they migrate south, as far as Antarctica.
Despite the absence of whales, tourists continue to visit Teriberka, although the demand for sea excursions from Russians has somewhat decreased. Honest tour operators warn their guests in advance that meeting whales is not guaranteed, and that a sea excursion itself is an interesting adventure.
According to guides' observations, whales may return by mid-spring to early summer, when there will be enough fish in coastal waters again.
Keywords: ONE HERITAGE, whales, Teriberka, Murmansk region, tourism, sea excursions, whale migration, fish, herring, ecology, Barents Sea